I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley, and I was unfamiliar with this author. Now that I’ve read this book, I’d love to read more from her. It’s an unusual plot—a black highlander—which is part of why I was attracted to it. Although the book is, clearly, fictional, I learned a lot more about the slave trade than I ever knew before. And I learned even more when I got to the end and read the Author’s Note.

I didn’t re-read the blurb before beginning to read the book, so I was surprised as the plot unfolded. I think that made me enjoy the book more. The two main characters are both descendants of African slaves who were born in Scotland and emancipated. Unfortunately, Ailsa ends up as a slave in the king’s household, which is where Kallum meets her. The circumstances surrounding her enslavement are suspect and she is determined to escape the next time her clan comes to visit for a tournament. Kallum interrupts her escape because he thinks she is part of the slave contingent he came to free. He forces her to join the group, who are headed for England where slavery has been abolished.

Ailsa is unwilling to go along with his plans, insisting she belongs with her clan in the highlands, and is so persistent, he eventually has no choice but to take her with him. They are constantly arguing as she asserts her strength, despite being a woman. Kallum, who has only ever had one use for a woman, begins to see her as a fellow warrior. It takes a while, but they finally admit their love for one another.

There was one thing that I found jarring. Kallum was worried about Ailsa’s reputation should she travel alone with him. In other books I’ve read, that’s not such an issue for the Scottish. Who is right? I don’t know; it’s not actually that important. However, since it is a concern mentioned a few times, I thought I’d point it out. There was also something that bothered me. It was pretty obvious what Hendrik was going to do. I don’t know of a way around it, but it was one of those situations where I was reading while silently yelling, “No! Don’t do that! He’ll come back for revenge.” The pace of the book, although a bit slow in the beginning, quickly picks up and becomes unrelenting. It seems Ailsa and Kallum are in a constant heightened state of alertness, fearful of someone hurting and/or taking Ailsa. Meanwhile, each is having internal struggles regarding the relationship forming between them. Their happily ever after is surprising and satisfying. I highly recommend it.

i was highly anticipating NEVER CROSS A HIGHLANDER for well over a year. I will note this book did get a cover update/edit? and it appears to be to better match the hero's description to include his locs.

What I liked - the heroine=, Ailsa Connery, deserves it all. This poor woman has been through it, and continues to go through it, in this story. Ailsa is Black, of 'mixed birth' per the story, and she is being held as a slave in a court of a Scottish Laird after being kidnapped/retrieved mistakenly from a raid as a 'runaway.' She is abused both physically and verbally by her charge, a spoiled young princess and is threatened with sexual assault and r@pe by multiple people at this court, and on page after she escapes/is 'rescued without her consent' by the hero, Kallum MacNeill.

I do like Kallum, i just wish he and Ailsa had a few more moments to make me believe they were falling in love; there was a whole lot of exposition and explanation that to me took away from the central romance overall. Because dang, when they are together on page was I having fun. Kallum is SEXY and also noble, even if that gets him into some situations and frustrates Ailsa.

And let's talk about how Lisa Rayne wrote the best waterfall sex I've ever read okay? like made my robin hood prince of thieves dreams come true!

overall i'm excited about this series, this author, and i hope as we move forward we get more work; a solid first from her for me.

thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy

I'm not gonna lie... I had a rough time at the beginning of this book.

Hasn't it happened to you that sometimes you just don't connect with a book (for whatever reason) but still have to read it? Well, that happened to me.

The beginning is normal. We are introduced to Ailsa, the protagonist, a black woman who was enslaved and works for the daughter of a king. We see all the verbal and physical abuse that she has to go through in the castle and her goal of escaping from that place to return to her clan. Even so, this beginning seemed eternal to me, many times I had to stop reading because I simply got bored.

On the other hand, Kallum MacNeil makes an appearance to spice things up. A free black man, military leader of his clan, who seeks to help slaves escape in search of freedom. His first meeting with Ailsa is interesting, from the moment one they connect quite well (as well as two strangers can) and from that the whole story begins to develop.

Halfway through the book it begins to pick up a rhythm and starts developing smoothly. Was I expecting something fluffier? Yes, sure, although I'm not complaining about this hero that the author has given us. After all, he's a military leader, one cannot always expect hearts and flowers in stories. As for the plot itself, I love the idea of ​​including real history about black people in the 1700s, it's a great way to remember, educate and entertain.

Something I didn't like about the author's style is that there was a lot of text between dialogues. For example, if a character asked something, instead of receiving a direct answer from another character, there were two long paragraphs thst came before that.

Set in 1700's Scotland, Alisa, who was born a free black woman was forced into slavery for the last 3 years. Enter Kallum, a Highlander who ends up rescuing her, as well as some other enslaved people. Alisa tries to go back to her original homeland, but Kallum doesn't feel that it's safe and convinces her to come to his homeland, and she reluctantly agrees. As much as they try to fight it, they notice an attraction to each other. And then something happens that make them both realize they are actually meant for each other.

I love historical s, but It took me a while to get into this story. The story really seemed to drag, especially in the first part, and there were some things that I did not understand while reading the story. It did finally get more enjoyable as I kept reading the story.

I received a copy of the book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review of my own thoughts and opinions.

*This book was sent to me via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*


You know it's a good series when you can read a book a day all while still adulting 😁😁 I sure hope this author keep writing more Scottish romance novels because I will definitely be buying them!!

I had to DNF this book at 26%. I was really really looking forward to a highland romance with a Black MMC and FMC, the background and story behind Black highlanders could have been so interesting to read about but the romantic leads were both very unlikable. While it's typical for the MMC to not want to get married or be a rogue they don't usually hate women. Kallum comes across really strong in the first impression as hating women and it was really hard to like him when his internal monologue continued to view women as annoying. Ailsa could have been really interesting but she gave off "not like other girls" vibes. And a little later you find out that she doesn't speak to or engage with any of the other enslaved folks which just reinforced the feeling that she thought she was better than them. I really tried to power through with the hope that I would grow to like them but then the first time Ailsa sees Kallum naked is when he's peeing in the woods, and I guess it's meant to be awkward and funny but it just came across as really unromantic. That was the final ick. I might come back to this and try again, but at the moment I don't think I can do it.

If we're being honest I didn't think any of their sexy time was explicit, it was fairly PG from what I normally read, and I didn't particularly get the feels from this book. I do like their relationship and how it developed, and it probably works for that couple (imagining it as a real life couple), but not for me. Overall though? I liked the story. I think the series is set up well, I like that we're going to likely see Ailsa and Kallum again. I liked the light humor in this, I loved finally seeing a historical romance with some damn diversity! It's there, it existed, let's write about it!

Overall this was a solid 3 for me. I liked it, I definitely want to see where Lisa Rayne does next with this series, this was a great start.

Although the book is a fictional romance the focus on people of color in the Scottish highland is such a different approach.
The two lovers meet when the highlander comes to compete before the king and court. She is a kidnapped freewoman and he is the general for his clan.
The interaction of two strong and passionate people, him his clan and his people and her family and a desire to be a healer bring them to a final battle worth wait.
One of many reasons I find the story to be a good read is due to author Lisa Rayne incorporating the beauty of the highlands into the slow burn and sexy times between Kallum and Ailsa.

Finally . After 3 weeks I'm finished reading.
1. What year did this take place?
2. Why wasn’t there more Gaelic?

Kallum and Ailsa. African highlanders! I know right, exciting . I live reading historical romance especially Highlander novels. I have never come across one with 2 black main characters. While I’m at it, the Highlander books don’t have black characters at all. So I was intrigued by this book and it was my most anticipated read of 2022.

Now let’s get to the review.
The plot and character development is there but this story dragged a bit for me. I loved the how fearless Ailsa was but her chemistry with Kallum was just ok. When did her annoyance of him turn into lust for him. ( side note, she wasn’t a virgin??? But if not did the captain rape her??? It’s unclear???)
Kallum wanted her from the beginning but he didn’t know why and he fought it at every turn even after his Laird pointed it out to him.
The plot twist made this story because I wasn’t sold on their romance.
I recommend this book if you are like me and love a Highlander romance story I just wish there was more gaelic.

A satisfying, sexy Highlander romance between two hard-heads who fall for each other in spite of themselves.

Ailsa was a freeborn woman whose clan (accidentally?) left her behind at the King's castle and she ended up enslaved and in service to Princess Elizabeth. When the clans come to the castle for a tournament, she gets eyes on Kallum, commander of MacNeill clan, who's also secretly working to help enslaved people escape to freedom.

The chemistry between the two MMCs is pretty great, as is Kallum's consternation over Ailsa never doing as she's told/asked. Fans of "Who did this to you?" will enjoy this one.

A couple of story elements stretch the bounds of belief (a character is seemingly on their death bed and makes a recovery in hours to move the story forward, one relinquishes something valuable without much of a fight).

Read the author's note.

There was so much to like about this book, but it ended up falling flat, and reading like every other period romance.

I never knew I need this historical romance in my life. It took a bit for me to get into, I think that was mainly my fault. But once I got distraction free and was able to really get into the book I really got into the book.

This romance adventure book tells a very unique story of a woman named Ailsa who has been enslaved accidently into the kings court at Sterling castle and is attempting her escape to get back to her own clan. But her plans are quickly turned upside down when a highlander mistakenly thinks she is in need of aid to escape to England; forcing her even further away from her people. I have never read any higlander themed books featuring a black highlander so I was immediatly interested, and was jumping with excitement when i was approved to read this book. I definitely enjoyed the overall experience, and was very thankful to have read something so different. This was a great adventure with loveable characters. I especially enjoyed the well written sword fighting scenes. I am rating this a 4 out of 5 stars because although by the end of the story I appreciated and enjoyed the tale, it did take me longer than usual to get through the book and I believe it is because the writting style felt alittle too winded for me at times that I would lose interest. Another note to add is that the expected spice does not happen till about 75% into the book. I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys historical romance and who is interested in a unique story that has not been told before.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

Never Cross a Highlander is a unique offering in the Scottish romance novel genre. As is immediately apparent, the two protagonists are of African descent - something the author undertook in a deliberate effort to see someone like her in the types of novels she loved so much. I particularly enjoyed her individual view on how such an individual experience might be changed under those circumstances.

I really enjoyed reading about Ailsa and Kallum and the many twists and turns they faced throughout this story. While extremely well-written, this book was a little dense compared to "typical" romance novels, so if you're looking for a quick read, I wouldn't recommend this one. However, you're looking for fresh take on a Highland romance novel that has fully-fleshed out characters, inter-clan intrigue, plenty of sword fighting, and a slow-burn romance that turns into a full blaze, then this is the next novel for you!

This book offers up an intriguing storyline and has characters you want to root for. Overall, I enjoyed this book. The story was entertaining even as it deals with some heavy subjects. I will say that I liked both characters well enough, but I do wish I had felt more of a connection between them and that there had been more relationship building between them.

Aisla Connery is a healer who was is the daughter of a free African woman and a Scottish man that she has never met. She is a member of the Connery clan in the highlands. During a trip to the castle of King James VI three years ago, she was mistakenly captured, and is now the Princesses servant. She plots her escape during the summer festival, in which various clans travel to the kingdom for tournament battle.
Kallum MacNeill is a warrior with rich brown skin and dreadlocks. He’s convinced he doesn’t need a marriage partner and is content with getting his needs met with women outside of the MacNeil clan land, as necessary. His Cousin, Inan who is more like a brother, is next in line for clan leader and urges him to find a partner.

As the Clan enters the courtyard Aisla is taken by his commanding presence right away. She is rooting for Kallum from her perch on the Princesses balcony during the final battle match. This scene is written with intensity as Kallum and a giant battle to the death. Aisla unexpectedly comes to Kallums aid.

Aisla, who sees Kallum in a sensual dream, realizes that he is her savior and captor all rolled up into one. There is a battle of wills as Kallum, in his role as The Shepherd, goes on missions to free the enslaved and lead them to safety. Aisla, who is quite stubborn, is determined to get back to her clansmen. These two are quite the pair. Kallum is used to people “obeying him without question” and Aisla is used to getting her way.

Kallum has never had an instant attraction to a woman. It goes deeper than lust. They go back and forth between liking and disliking each other, but whatever is burning between them lingers on the surface as they focus on getting to safety. Aisla’s womanly passions have been awakened and would not calm down. Kallum resigns himself to knowing that she belongs to him, but Aisla has other plans. Aisla and Kallum have strong chemistry and their are alot of steamy scenes. As we read on, we find out that things aren’t as they seem on the surface. This historical romance touches on the history of the Highlands, the inner workings of clan communities and how free African people may have made their way to these communities. I had to get used to the period language but there is also a lot of rich dialogue and I enjoyed getting to know these characters.

This book had me at the cover alone, but the story itself was just as captivating! Ailsa and Kallum are a fiery couple, and there were some scenes that felt as though they should be setting my Kindle on fire. (A multi-page sex scene under a waterfall? We love to see it.) There are some elements to the story that aren’t necessarily for the faint of heart — Ailsa is assaulted and beaten multiple times, once on-page, and there is some violence and murder (at the hands of the hero against her transgressors, of course), so it’s definitely a heavier Highland romance, but it also reminded me of the great old-schools in the same vein. It did find what I felt were a few anachronistic terms in dialogue that occasionally yoinked me out of the story and probably could’ve been tweaked, but that’s a somewhat minor criticism in the grand scope of the overall book. Loved the plot becoming more of a road-trip romance halfway through, and I do hope Rayne writes more in this series! (Maybe Kallum’s cousins deserve their own stories?) If you want a Highland romance that strives to do something different while still evoking all of the classic tropes, pick this one up!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

*Received a copy or review.*
Quite an interesting look at a Highland story. A young healer is taken by the Kings guard and enslaved to the royal family. She is determined to return to her clan and while trying to save herself, she runs into the Legendary Shepard and both of their plans take a hard left turn.
There's a road trip, forced proximity, vehement dislike to love, and secrets

The heroine was held in captive enslavement at Stirling Castle and plans to escape from it after failing twice before. As the heroine took the chance to escape, she inadvertently ended up in a group of escaped captives, led by the hero. The hero persuades the heroine to go with him to keep his secret identity from being exposed and would have helped the heroine return to her clan, if she had followed him quietly. Alas, the heroine has her own plans and the two ends up making sparks of the romantic kind. And as the journey in the Highlands proceeded on, the two uncover secrets that they face together.

This is my first Lisa Rayne book and the start of the Shadow Lairds series. It features characters that are not mainstream in this historical romance time period. It was interesting to read about these characters that aren't mentioned that much. Featuring hardships that are related to their ethnic background, it was nice to read about a couple that fell in love among adversity. The story did drag a bit in certain areas of the story, and there are also other areas that would have been nice to have more details. But overall, the book is an enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more Shadow Lairds books in the future.

**Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy that I voluntarily read and reviewed.
All opinions and thoughts in the review are my own.**

If you'e a fan of historical Highlander romances
This is book worth more than some chances!
With a free Highland lass enslaved by the King
Determined to escape and do her own thing.

When she decides to try to escape once again,
She didn't anticipate a Highlander being a pain!
Mind you, he's leading a secret double life and so
Who he is, he doesn't want others to know.

So starts an adventure for this stubborn pair,
Neither giving way or fearing to dare.
With the lack of trust between Clans as well
How it will all work out you need to read it to tell!

A story of duplicity, daring and loyalty, too,
Of being brave enough to trust and challenges to do.
With surprises in store as well as romance
This feisty pair are on a merry dance!

A story packed with adventures and more
With a champion determined to even the score-
And an independent young lady who
Is determined that it is the looking after that she'll do!

For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
It is a historical romance worth giving a chance - and this is my honest review.